Are you among the 75% of Australians who feel incomplete without their daily dose of coffee? If so, then you might want to learn to choose an ideal coffee bean type to optimize your coffee drinking experience.
Experimenting with different coffee flavours every day can sure be frustrating. We bet you must be tired of it! To choose the perfect coffee bean for yourself, you need to understand the various types of coffee beans. Well, read on because we have done all the homework for you!
In this article, we will be sharing insights about various types of coffee beans so you can choose the one which will suit you perfectly!
Generically, there are 4 major types of coffee beans; Arabica, Robusta, Liberica, and Excelsa. So let’s examine each of the types!
Arabica Coffee Beans
The first type of coffee beans on the list is Arabica coffee beans because they are extremely admired among coffee lovers. They also make up almost 60% of the entire annual coffee production. The reason for its popularity lies in its flavour.
Arabica has a very sweet and dense flavour that provides a silky texture to the coffee drinker. It is also known to be one of the most aromatic coffee beans. So if you are a sucker for the hit of a strong coffee aroma in the morning, then Coffea Arabica might just be the right type for you!
Another benefit of Arabica is its high pH level, meaning it is less acidic in concentration and can prevent stomach irritation. That is a piece of good news for stomach-sensitive coffee addicts!
The plantation and harvesting of Arabica coffee beans are usually conducted in areas of high altitudes, with excessive showers of rain and shade. In opposition to its name, Arabica coffee beans are actually ‘seeds’ rather than beans, contained by the fruit (called a cherry) of the Arabica plant.
Although the beans themselves are easily manageable, the cultivation procedure of Arabica plants is a tough one. The plants and fruits are tremendously sensitive to plant diseases and can easily be triggered.
Due to the massive consumption of Arabica beans, the beans are grown in large groups, which makes them a more prominent target for agricultural calamities. The fruit of the Arabica plant also requires constant monitoring and care. The entire process is extremely tedious and requires constant supervision.
Arabica is a coffee bean and has its pros and cons. One of the pros is the low caffeine content. This helps to stabilize the overall caffeine content of the coffee so it does not cause any excess caffeine complications for the drinker.
The only drawback of Arabica coffee beans is their cost. Since the harvesting and farming routine of the Arabica plant is quite challenging, so they are quite expensive!
Robusta Coffee Beans:
Robusta coffee beans come second on the list when it comes to mass production. Robusta constitutes a total of 37% of the annual coffee production. But even by being the second contributor to the world’s coffee consumption, Robusta coffee beans are not as popular as Arabica.
Coffee drinkers with a strong heart and taste buds usually prefer Robusta. This is due to the fact that the Robusta coffee beans are extremely bitter in taste. These are recognized for their exceptionally strong and vibrant flavour, which is guaranteed to give you goosebumps!
Their aroma is also very pungent and is known to cure headaches. Need a coffee fix? You got it!
The striking essence of Robusta coffee beans will knock your socks off. It’s definitely a study booster for college students!
The cultivation and harvesting procedure for Robusta is quite easy as compared to Arabica. This is because the Robusta plants or fruit do not require any special conditions for their growth and cultivation. Just grow them in a good hot temperature and witness them flourish! Robusta plants are also immune to agricultural diseases which are very common in Arabica.
This forte of the Robusta plants is due to the high caffeine content. The high caffeine concentration is responsible for the strong bitter flavour of Robusta coffee beans, and for keeping the plant safe from parasites! Unlike Arabica, which requires high maintenance techniques, Robusta plants are comparatively placid. If we were to crown a super-plant, we would definitely give the title to Robusta!
Apart from its tanginess, Robusta coffee beans come with some perks! The high caffeine content in Robusta makes it a strong candidate for people who are always searching for an energy boost.
Robusta coffee beans are usually refined and used in instant coffee. So if you want a good strong coffee but are not a fan of the strong taste of Robusta, then we recommend topping it off with some cream and sugar! Oh and a little secret. High-quality Robusta beans also have hints of chocolate flavour in them!
The drawback of Robusta again lies in its caffeinated nature. Due to the incremented caffeine content, this type of coffee can be heavy on the stomach. Sensitive stomach drinkers, this is not for you!
Liberica Coffee Beans:
We’re guessing you must have heard of Arabica and Robusta, but probably not Liberica coffee beans! Coffea liberica is renowned as the rarest and the most intense coffee to ever exist in the world, comprising only 2% of the annual coffee consumption. Very few chosen people in the world have tasted this elixir!
Although Liberica is as scarce as hen’s teeth, its taste is divine! The rarity of the Liberica bean lies in its historical importance. Somewhere in the 1870s, Liberica constituted almost 90% of annual coffee production after a disease outbreak in the Arabica plant.
Liberica instantly gained popularity and was adored and admired by people worldwide. Since the Liberica plant only grows in a specific climate and specified locations, and the Philippines made the perfect fit for all the growing requirements, hence it became the capital of Liberica coffee beans.
But after the independence of the Philippines from the US, Liberica coffee beans’ outreach in the market became close to non-existent. So if anyone wants to even get a sip of this coffee, they might just have to fly all the way to the Philippines first!
The flavour of the Liberica coffee beans is only known by a few. Those who have been lucky enough to taste it, declare its flavour smokey and woody. They also claim that Liberica is one of the finest coffee that they’ve ever tasted! The beans of Liberica are of irregular shape and the aroma they release is floral and mouthwatering!
The drawback of Liberica, apart from its rarity, lies in its caffeine content. Liberica is extremely low in its caffeine content, so it does not give the energy boost expected of its strong flavour. For those who want a low caffeine content, this bean might just be for you if you can source it!
Excelsa Coffee Beans:
The final and the rarest coffee type on our list is Excelsa Coffee Beans. Even the name gives us a hint of its exquisiteness!
Excelsa coffee beans actually extend out from the Liberica coffee family, thus being one of the rarest coffee types. Much like Liberica, Excelsa coffee beans also require some exclusive optimal conditions for their growth and production. Since these growing conditions cannot be provided in all parts of the world, to have a sip of this scrumptious coffee, you need to pack your bags and grab your passport!
Excelsa coffee beans only have a minimum of 1% contribution to the annual coffee consumption worldwide. The chosen ones who have been blessed with the taste of this angelic coffee define its flavour to be a combination of both fruitful and strong flavours, making it stand out from all the other coffee types. Its unique and distinct flavour encourages coffee lovers to plan that long-postponed world tour and discover the production houses of this elite coffee.
Excelsa coffee beans are much similar in shape to Liberica coffee beans. Both are of either almond or irregular shape. The aroma of the beans is very mesmerizing and takes the coffee drinker to another dimension!
The only drawback of Exclesa coffee beans, we have to travel the world to taste them!
What Are The 4 Types of coffee beans – Conclusion
When choosing your ideal coffee bean, it’s really about the flavour that appeals to your tastebuds. In the end, we will just say that while choosing your ideal coffee type, remember one thing; the coffee which takes you to a cloud 9 is defo going to be the hero in your kitchen! Happy coffee hunting!
